Leader of Britain's biggest council resigns after failed plan for night time parking charges

The leader of one of Britain's biggest councils has announced he is quitting his post amid controversy over his failed plans to introduce parking charges to London's West End.

Councillor Colin Barrow, leader of Westminster City Council, had clashed with the capital's Mayor Boris Johnson, business leaders and churchgoers, over a move which would have meant motorists would have had to pay in areas where it had previously been free.

Last year, a High Court judge ordered
Westminster City Council to put the controversial parking plans on
hold, saying there was a risk they would 'damage businesses and
churches'.

But Cllr Barrow, who will stand down in March, denied his resignation was connected to the plans for evening and Sunday parking charges that have been scrapped until after the Olympics.

He said: 'I made the decision in the middle of last year to step down when I reached 60, to devote some time to writing and lecturing.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

'2012 marks both my 60th year and four years as Leader of the Council, so it is the right time to make way for a successor.'

Cllr Barrow said it would be 'too easy' for people to attribute his decision to quit to the parking row.

'There is never a right or easy time to depart, and it is inevitable that people will ascribe my decision to the parking controversy,' he said.

Opponents: Actors Roger Lloyd Pack and Lynda Bellingham

'To the contrary, part of my reasoning for deferring this announcement until now was because I was determined to see that through. It would have been only too easy to leave that one for my successor.'

West End actors including Tom Conti,
Lynda Bellingham, Bill Paterson and Roger Lloyd Pack signed a petition
against Westminster City Council's plans to introduce parking charges of
up to £4.80 an hour.

'Nightlife tax': London Mayor Boris Johnson criticised parking fees

London Mayor Boris Johnson called the
plans a 'nightlife tax' and later hailed the postponement as 'wise and
brave' and the 'right decision for Londoners'.

Cllr Barrow was elected to Westminster Council in 2002 and joined the cabinet a year later with the economic development and transport brief.

He became deputy leader and cabinet member for finance in 2005 and leader of the Council in 2008.

Mike Moore, chief executive of Westminster City Council, said Cllr Barrow would stand down at the Annual Budget meeting on March 7 and is to be replaced by a new leader elected by the majority party.

He added: 'Colin has led the authority through a testing period where we have made significant savings while retaining most of our frontline services.'

Share or comment on this article:

Leader of Britain's biggest council resigns after failed plan for night time parking charges